Other Stats

October

This blog by Sean Holman is freakin' brilliant. Pay attention Canada, we seem all too ready to give up our democracy in the name of stability. #takeourcountryback
[Harper] …picked political fights with major pillars of our democratic system – Elections Canada, the judiciary, officers of parliament – for no obvious reason apart from the fact that they appear to stand in his way. Under his watch there were unreasonably high levels of moral and even criminal corruption among some of those closest to him. He has indulged his MPs in their quest to make a mockery of Question Period.
That means, in their [PostMedia's] endorsements, those papers weren’t just choosing between left and right. They were choosing between democracy and stability. And, in the end, they choose what they see as stability.

Andrew Coyne resigned from the Post and voted NDP, Brazeau and Mulroney are endorsing JT, and the Maritimes just went red. Oh yeah, and there's a heckuva lotta hitting going on in TO. It's going to be a wild ride tonight! #harpersretirementparty
From @acoyne
"So anyway… I have resigned as editor of Editorials and Comment for the National Post, effective immediately. I will remain a columnist.
2. Postmedia executives and I had a professional disagreement. Their view was that the publication of a column by the editorial page editor…
3. … dissenting from the Post’s endorsement of the Conservatives would have confused readers and embarrassed the paper.
4. My view was that that was what I was paid to do as a columnist: give my honest opinion on issues of public interest.
5. I don’t see public disagreement as confusing. I see it as honest. Readers, in my view, are adults & understand that adults can disagree.
6. The confusion, if any, would have been to have left the impression that the paper’s views were mine, or that my views were the paper’s.
7. To be clear, the owners and managers of a newspaper have a perfect right to set the paper’s editorial line as they wish.
8. Likewise they have a perfect right to decide who and what they wish to publish in their pages.
9. Nobody has a God-given right to be published and the country will get along very well without me telling them how to vote.
10. My concerns were and are merely a) that there should be no suggestion that I was personally endorsing or voting for the Conservatives.
11. And b) that I could not do my job as a columnist if I was obliged to stay silent where these conflicted with those of management.
12. While Postmedia’s intervention was unprecedented in my experience, I could not allow the precedent to stand.
13. So to protect my reputation and to preserve my editorial freedom as a columnist, I felt it necessary to resign the editorial position.
14. I think that’s all I need to say on the subject. If anyone’s still interested, I will be voting for the NDP candidate in my riding.
15. The short-form reasoning: the Conservatives don’t deserve to be re-elected, and the Liberals don’t deserve a majority.

Received this morning: "I just wanted to let you know that I got back from a family holiday last night and read the story in the Auroran about your actions taken on principal at the recent all-candidates meeting.
I have to admit that at the start of this election I was weighing the option of voting strategically given my underlying hope for change as compared to voting based on my core beliefs (including consideration of our local candidates).
I was impressed by the depth of integrity and ability presented by both you and Elizabeth May... I finally concluded that the #Greens deserve a voice and what you stand for in the big picture is fundamentally important.
Thank you for your efforts, all the best."
#gpc#elxn42

Received this morning: "We are going to support the Green party in the upcoming elections. If this Party has such strong views of the rights of Canadians as you have exhibited, this is definitely a Party we want to be associated with." #gpc#elxn42#takeourcountryback

By appealing to the lowest of our fears + prejudices, Harper has created a toxic + dangerous atmosphere. hmmm... Kind of like what he's doing with the environment, now that I think about it. Maybe it's a theme.
Now is the time to stand up for the kind of Canada we want to live in and #takeourcountryback. #gpc#elxn42

The inevitable results of hate-mongering: violence and persecution of the innocent. We ought to be ashamed that our country has *leaders* (using the word loosely here) who will stoop to this to get votes. #gpc#elxn42

So... then *this* happened tonight.
For Immediate Release
6 Oct 2015
Green Party Candidate Chooses Leadership over Politics
NEWMARKET, ON - Vanessa Long, Green Party Candidate for Newmarket - Aurora, made a bold statement at the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce Candidates Debate this evening.
In her opening statement Ms. Long thanked the Chamber for inviting her to the event and then went on to say,
“Leadership is not doing what is convenient or comfortable but what is right. Tonight there is a voice missing in this debate because of a policy passed by the Chamber Board. One that ensures that no independent or small party candidate will EVER be heard at these provincial or federal debates again.”
Ms. Long highlighted several planks of her party’s platform, including the National Seniors Strategy, plans for affordable housing in York Region, and a plan to address youth employment nationally.
She went on to decry the status quo of whipped Members of Parliament who take the easier road of “politics” rather than answering the call to be the leaders that Canadians so desperately need.
Long then announced that she would be leaving to participate in the “inclusive” debate being held at the Newmarket Legion Hall. She invited both the assembled crowd and her fellow candidates to accompany her as she rose from the stage.
Afterward Ms Long stated that she was, “saddened, but not surprised,” that none of the other candidates accepted her invitation.
“The chamber’s policy effectively ensures that the citizens in Newmarket-Aurora will only hear the ideas put forward by the mainstream parties, the ones who created and maintain the increasingly precarious situation we find our country in.
“If I can’t take a stand against that type of obvious oppression, well, then I’m not the kind of leader I would follow.”
- 30 -
For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Vanessa Long
Candidate for Newmarket-Aurora
Green Party of Canada
#gpc#elxn42

Wow. Neil Macdonald pulls no punches with this article: "For a brief, fascinating moment, it looked like we might actually be having a real national discussion about Canada's embrace of a bellicose, misogynistic, medieval theocracy that has a nasty habit of shoving cash into the pockets of those Stephen Harper would call "jihadi terrorists."" Then it went away. The union asked the NDP to drop it annnnd they did. #elxn42#gpc

September

Had the honour to speak to students at Crossland P.S. today in #NewmarketAurora and they asked a great question: "How can you promise free tuition without increasing our debt?" Here's how: A fully costed budget and platform that shows a small surplus for the next 5 years.
I frickin' love the #GPC fiscal conservativeness. It isn't that the money isn't there, it's where your values tell you to put it. For the gov't, that means in the pockets of corporations. For the Greens, it means toward the quality of life of every Canadian. #takeourcountryback

I guess our #NewmarketAurora MP would think that this (former) Conservative was also a liar for shining a spotlight on our steep slide in foreign affairs.
"I grew up in Ethiopia at a time when Canada played a profound role in helping curb a massive famine disaster in the East African nation, saving many lives. I know what Canadian leadership looked like from a distance. Canada was liked, respected and was seen as an exemplary country. Not anymore.
As we deny basic health care to vulnerable people at home; wedge foolish cultural warfare in Quebec; link aid exclusively with Canadian mining company interests abroad; become cheerleaders in the Middle East rather than peacemakers; speak out (sadly) against international institutions like the United Nations without clear alternatives; sell arms to rogue states; look away when the human rights of Canadians are compromised; and allow Germany to take Canada's leadership role in the Syrian refugee crises -- it is no wonder that the world is asking what ever happened to Canada.
The Harper government seems to misunderstand that the role of government is not to help create billionaires and millionaires, but to help strengthen society to be more open, fair and accessible for all. Rich people do not need an advocate in government, but ordinary citizens do." - Samuel Getachew

Dear Campaign Diary: Today I annoyed the Cons Candidate for #NewmarketAurora so much when talking about Canada being a 'pariah' at the UN when it comes to human rights and our negligence of recent treaties that she called me a liar. I feel like my work here is done. #strongwork :-)

This weekend the #GPC issued statements for World Rivers Day, Affordable Housing, Climate Change and protecting our environment from tankers and pipelines, Tourism, and the UN Meeting where leaders from around the world (notably there were no Canadian 'leaders' (I'm using that word very loosely here)) committed to the principle of Universality.
Have you heard about Universality? It's replacing the Millennium Development Goals and our very own #NewmarketAurora MP got skewered on it by Rosie Barton on P&P earlier this year. (http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/ID/2669504529/) Also note that Rosie starts by mentioned the Parliamentary Budget Officer's (PBO's) report that foreign aid levels have dropped to record lows.
More than ever, I'm loving the Green Vision for Canada - we're on the right side of history and driven by values that matter to Canadians. That rocks. You can check out all the media statements I mentioned here: https://www.greenparty.ca/en/news/media-releases

Y'know, it's *almost* like the #GPC has the best platform and policies that reflect what Canadians want. Maybe it's worth looking into... #elxn42#takeourcountryback
And #6? How about $12.8b over 2 years to start closing the $350b infrastructure gap? How's that Tony Van Bynen for #hometownproud? It's $6.4b per year for 5 years - 1 point of the GST.

Nice! Thank you to the RNAO for their support of the #GPC Pharmacare plan. Real change for the better. #takeourcountryback https://www.greenparty.ca/en/media-release/2015-09-23/ontario-nurses-support-green-party’s-drug-plan

Old stock Canadians? Really? How is that even possible? Aren't 'old stock Canadians' the ones that don't even make it onto the PM's radar? Or does he really just mean rich white people? Sigh. I can't even believe that these are conversations we have to have in Canada in 2015. #elxn42

Back from the VoteSmart event tonight in Aurora. Congratulations to Kelsea for the amazing amount of work that she put into organizing and envisioning this event and to everyone who helped to make it happen. I'm sure photos and maybe even video will be happening soon.

"As much as our society and our culture seems to turn towards reality TV and drama and shock, I think the under-30 voters especially are too smart and too wise to get fooled by that,” said Ms. Long. “They want to hear what we stand for, what our issues are and, more than that, they want to feel we are genuine, that we’re really showing up, we actually care about what they’re saying and we’re not totally BS-ing them.” Come to VoteSmart tonight! http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/?p=11854

Two things: Notice how the NDP candidates have their hands behind their back and the Liberals have their hands crossed in front. From a body language perspective that is very interesting. Also? Come to VoteSmart! http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/?p=11854